LOUHAJONG, Bangladesh — A passenger ferry carrying hundreds of people capsized today in central Bangladesh, killing at least two people and probably many more as horrified villagers watched from the shore, authorities said.

It was unclear exactly how many people were on board the M.V. Pinak because ferry operators in Bangladesh rarely maintain passenger lists. Local media said there were about 250 passengers, but the figure could not be immediately confirmed.

The ferry capsized in the Padma River in Munshiganj district, about 28 miles south of the capital, Dhaka.

Scores of people die in ferry accidents every year in Bangladesh, where boats are a common form of transportation.